The African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, has announced a new call for applications for its Cohort II School Leadership Research Grants, providing African education researchers with an opportunity to secure funding for action-oriented research focused on strengthening school leadership and improving learning outcomes across the continent.
The 2026 ACSL grants will support researchers undertaking descriptive and comparative action research addressing critical challenges in school leadership across African education systems. A total of 23 researchers will be supported through the initiative, with individual grants worth up to US$15,000 for descriptive action research and up to US$35,000 for comparative action research.
The programme is designed not only to fund research but also to ensure that research findings translate into practical improvements in schools, education policy and education systems. Successful researchers will have opportunities to work with policymakers, practitioners, school leaders and implementing institutions throughout their research journey.
Applications are open to eligible researchers from all African countries, with proposals particularly encouraged to address issues such as gender equality, disability inclusion, rural and underserved communities, and other marginalised groups.
Are you passionate about generating evidence to strengthen school leadership and improve learning outcomes across Africa? The African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, is offering grants for Descriptive and Comparative Action Research in Africa. The grants will support 23 researchers across the continent.
The grants aim to support rigorous, action-oriented research that addresses Africa’s school leadership challenges and contributes to national and continental education priorities. Researchers will work closely with policymakers, practitioners, school leaders, and implementing institutions to ensure that evidence informs policy, strengthens practice, and improves education systems.
Grants Overview
Application deadline: Wednesday, 30th September 2026, 11:59 pm GMT
Grant Type and Award:
- Sixteen (16) Descriptive Action Research Grants worth up to USD 15,000 each for research conducted within a single educational context over 12 months.
- Seven (7) Comparative Action Research Grants worth up to USD 35,000 each for research conducted across two or more educational contexts over 24 months.
- Eligible countries: All African countries
Information Webinar
An information webinar for prospective applicants will be held on 20th August 2026 (12:00–1:30 pm GMT | 3:00–4:30 pm EAT) to provide guidance on the application process, eligibility criteria, and grant expectations.
Register for the webinar here
Who can apply
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Be a citizen of an African country, based in Africa, and research must focus on school leadership practice in one or multiple African countries.
- The Principal Investigator must hold a Doctorate in Education, Educational Leadership, Educational Management, or a closely related field, earned within the past five (5) years.
- Proposals must include multidisciplinary research teams of three to five members.
- Research teams are strongly encouraged to promote team diversity by including female researchers, young researchers (under 35 years) and researchers with different education levels (bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees/candidates).
- Proposals must adopt an action-research approach and demonstrate meaningful collaboration with practitioners and policymakers.
- Cross-country collaborations and proposals addressing gender equality, disability inclusion, rural and underserved communities, and other marginalised groups are strongly encouraged.
Beyond receiving funding, successful researchers will join the School Leadership Community of Learning and participate in the Blended Exchange and Learning Trajectory (BELT).
Applications close at 11:59 pm GMT on Wednesday, 30th September 2026.
METHOD OF APPLICATION
Interested and Qualified Candidates should use link below to Apply.
For more information about this webinar, visit ACSL website HERE
Important notes for all applicants:
- Applicants are encouraged to carefully review all links and documents provided in the Call for Application documents and take all necessary steps to ensure full compliance with the application requirements, thereby strengthening their chances of a successful submission.
- Applications can be submitted in either English or French. Successful applicants will also be required to report on their research in one of these two languages.
- Should you still need more information or clarity after reviewing all the application documents, kindly submit your questions using this email: [email protected].
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